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Book #4: Ray of Light by E.L. Todd

My brother is an idiot. He won the lottery and invested all of his money in a run-down bowling alley. Since he’s barely making it, he moved in with me. Great. Having him around the house isn’t the worst thing in the world, but he does make a mess like nobody’s business. My friends Zeke, Jessie, and Kayden keep me sane but there’s only so much they can do. And it’s definitely not the worst thing in the world when his old friend, Ryker, moves to town. The second I lay eyes on him, I’m hot under the collar. He makes my body burn in longing and freeze in desperation at the exact same time. When he talks, I don’t listen to anything he says because I’m staring at that hard jaw and those kissable lips like I already own them. But he’s a bed hopper. A playboy. A heartbreaker. I’m all down for some hot, sweaty, yummy sex even if it doesn’t have a fairy tale ending. I’ve been down that road before. I know the drill. But with Ryker, it’s different. Because I know I’ll fall in love with him. For now, I’ll steer clear of him and keep my hands to myself. It can’t be that hard, right? Or can it?

I received a copy for an honest review. No compensation was given.

As you might have read in previous E.L. Todd reviews, I am a fan. She is a guilty pleasure of mine. The writing is fairly simple, there is some repetition, and the stories can be predictable, but I’m still a fan. I can read one of her books in a single day and I tend to read her stuff in between other books when I need a break from whatever genre I’m being pulled into at the time.

I will have to say that Ray of Light might be my favorite beginning to a contemporary romance series. The book has two different point of views: Rae, our heroine, and Rex, her brother. Both viewpoints are in first person so be sure to see who it is that is speaking. The last thing you need is to envision Rae saying boobalicious and getting excited about gettting women’s numbers.

The cover of this book says it’s a romantic comedy and actually I do see it. Not so much in situational comedy, but in the snarky attitudes of the characters. Though, Rex’s oblivious nature does make a good chuckle here and there.

What I like about this book is that I’m not entirely sure what to predict. This makes my first statement about E. L. Todd’s work being predictable rather null and void. I’m pretty sure I have a good grasp on what’s going to happen in Rex’s storyline, but I’m not as positive about Rae’s. What I do know is that I’m Team Zeke, Rex’s best friend.

Ryker is an alpha male character, but I feel he has underlying abusive issues about him. The way he gets upset about Rae hanging out with anyone other than him is just a tad bit worrisome. I’m hoping that she doesn’t stick with him in the end of the series, but that just means I can’t stop with this book alone.

In case you’re wondering, I did end up buying the second book and I’m hoping to see more.

The writing is still the same in her other books, but less of the repetition. Most descriptors are used for the sex scenes which makes those moments very steamy. I would like to see more of the world, but all in all I liked this book.